Turn the Junk Drawer into Cash

Is it just me? Or does everyone have a drawer full of old gadgets, cell phones, and other detritus of the digital age that they don’t know what to do with?

Lately, I’ve been on a “turn-that-crap-into-cash” binge. It satisfies my desire to clear my house of clutter, feeds my frugal nature, and nurtures my need to be green all at once.

I could use that junk drawer for better purposes than storing old cell phones but I don’t want to just dump that stuff into the landfill. And a little cash is always welcome. So this here is the beauty solution. It takes a few minutes to enter model numbers and pack stuff up but the shipping is often free. And my mailman (or UPS guy) carries the stuff away for me and brings payment so I don’t even have to load the car up and drive somewhere.

Last week, I sent my old cell phone off to Gazelle.com with the promise that when they get it, I will get a check for $36. (That will spend.) They provided a shipping label. They even offered to send me a box. (No need.) I packed it up, slapped a label on it, and left it on my porch for the UPS guy to take away when he next brings me a package. Now I just wait for a check.

There are lots of sites offering this service. I have not tried them all. But here are a few:

Venjuvo.com not only buys back old electronics, it will facilitate a trade-in deal with Sears, or recycle goods that won’t net any cash.